Although the Mugabe-controlled government of Zimbabwe claims to have taken command of the Chiadzwa diamond fields near the city of Mutare, violence continues. 

In the past week, however, it is four soldiers who have been killed in two separate incidents.  Hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to the area, and no official mining is going on as the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation finds itself without the equipment or funds to continue operations.  Reports are now coming out that these soldiers have taken to illegally mining the fields themselves.

The first shooting incident, on May 24, involved two soldiers who were about 100 meters away from their base.  According to police spokesman Andrew Phiri, “Investigations carried out showed that the two had their rifles, but with spent cartridges entailing [sic] that they had discharged their firearms.  The cause of the deaths is yet to be ascertained but there is a high possibility that they could have turned their rifles on each other.”  Phiri did not say whether or not either man was found in possession of illegally-mined diamonds.

The third and fourth soldiers to be killed were involved in a shootout at a military roadblock.  So far, no details have been released regarding who shot these men, or even who they are.

No one is denying the cause of the shootings, however.  Sources have revealed that soldiers at Chiadzwa are constantly arguing over the proceeds of diamonds they smuggle out of the mine and sell on the black market.  There are extensive reports that link soldiers to syndicates of foreign buyers and dealers based in Mutare and Harare.  The dealers smuggle the rough gems out of the country, where they are cut and polished.  Once the rough diamonds are cut and polished, it is impossible to detect their origin.  Then, wealthy buyers get the gems for a much better price than diamonds that have to go through legal channels. 

While the Kimberley Process—the UN’s attempt to stanch the flow of blood diamonds out of Africa—not only lacks the teeth to complete its task, it also creates a new way for unscrupulous dealers and unethical governments to bring in money without having to report the income.  As long as buyers don’t care to look for a Kimberley Process Certification, these dealers will have business, governments in diamond-rich countries will have cause for corruption, and soldiers will have cause for profiteering on the land they are supposed to protect.  And four soldiers, thieves though they allegedly were, will die.

Related Articles: